Digital Commons Network^™

Collaboration In The Spread Of Missionary Christianity In Africa: The Case Of The Apostolic Church Of Nigeria, Caleb Abiodun Adeleye, Oluwasegun Peter Aluko

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

This article explores the significance of collaboration in the spread of missionary Christianity in Africa through a historical study of The Apostolic Church of Nigeria (TACN). It examines how the partnership between British missionaries and Nigerian leaders produced a hybrid mission model that combined Western ecclesiastical structure with African spirituality. Drawing on historical records, church documents, and existing scholarship, the article adopts a narrative–analytical method to trace how figures such as Pastors George Perfect, Idris J Vaughan and DO Odubanjo negotiated issues of theology, finance and cultural identity. The study finds that collaboration initially fostered institutional growth and doctrinal development …

Mecklenburg County Veteran Needs Assessment, Mary Rachel Keville, Nosa Akol, Zachary Bridgewater, Gilly Cantor, Emily Graham, Vincent Delsignore

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Mecklenburg County’s Community Support Services’ Veterans Services Division (MCVSO) has sought to strategically improve their outreach and engagement with veterans and the military community within Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. To achieve this, MCVSO partnered with the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and Veterans Bridge Home (VBH) to design and deliver a community needs assessment focused on understanding the county’s veteran population, identifying service gaps, understanding barriers to care, and assessing how to best engage the veteran population. A multi-format needs assessment survey was designed and marketed towards the military-connected community within Mecklenburg County. The assessment was supplemented …

Expanding The Cognitive Attentional Standards Platform Through Artificial Influence Assessment (Aia): Rationale, Development, And Measurement Design, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how individuals access information, make decisions, and interact with digital environments. The Cognitive Attentional Standards Platform (C.A.S.) was developed to assess attention related harms, cognitive safety, digital autonomy, and platform influence across digital systems (Clark, 2026). However, the growth of generative AI, conversational agents, and algorithmic decision support technologies has introduced new forms of influence that may not be fully captured by existing assessment domains. This paper proposes the Artificial Influence Assessment (AIA) as an expansion of the C.A.S. framework designed to measure AI mediated influence on cognition, behavior, autonomy, and information processing. Drawing on …

Governing Algorithmic Attention: Attention Safeguard Models And The Cognitive Attentional Standard As System Level Interventions In Human Computer Interaction, Behavioral Economics, And Artificial Intelligence, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

Algorithmic recommendation systems and interface designs shape attention by combining visually salient cues with uncertain reward timing and low friction interaction. These conditions can sustain anticipatory checking, extend time on task, and reduce natural disengagement points through patterns such as infinite scrolling and autoplay. This paper synthesizes research across neuroscience, human computer interaction, behavioral economics, and artificial intelligence to argue that attention capture is a predictable outcome of incentive driven design rather than an individual failure of self regulation. It advances the Attention Safeguard Models and the Cognitive Attentional Standard as system level interventions that regulate exposure conditions, pacing, and …

Examining The Impact Of Transformational Change To Modernize Federal Government Records, Michael Lloyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

U.S. Service Member To Counseling Student, Nicole Marie Arcuri-Sanders, Kellie Forziat-Pytel

Educational Sciences and Organizations

This qualitative descriptive study examines the absence of military career pathways for licensed mental health counselors (MHCs) and the impact of this structural limitation on service members' career transitions. Findings indicate that both combat and non-combat veterans pursued mental health counseling due to personal service-related mental health experiences and dissatisfaction with available care while in service. Despite these challenges, many participants expressed a strong desire to continue serving their country as professional counselors. Over half of the participants reported separating from the military because no occupational role existed for licensed MHCs. At the same time, most indicated they would have …

A Study On Gender Equality And Geographic Homogeneity In Education And Their Association With Midlife Suicide, Julene Kemp Cooney

Dissertations - ALL

ABSTRACT Suicide consistently ranks among the top five causes of death for the U.S. population aged 25-64, and suicide rates have been rising in the United States since 2000. Although targeted efforts have been made to reduce suicide deaths among high-risk individuals, the upstream, or “contextual,” causes of poor mental health that drive suicidal ideation and completion are fueling a national mental health crisis that is overwhelming available mental health resources, resulting in a significant and needless loss of life. This three-chapter dissertation examines how suicide rates among midlife adults in the United States are associated with several upstream contexts …

Three Essays On Social Security Retirement Age Reform And Its Implications For Older Adults, Halim Yoon

Dissertations - ALL

Rising life expectancy and declining fertility rates have led to rapid population aging in many countries. To address the resulting fiscal pressures on social insurance programs and encourage longer labor force participation among older adults, many countries have reformed their public pension systems. In the United States, the Social Security Amendments of 1983 gradually increased the Full Retirement Age (FRA)—the age of eligibility for full, unreduced Social Security benefits—from 65 to 67. While prior research has extensively examined whether this reform delayed Social Security claiming and retirement, much less is known about its broader and longer-term consequences for well-being, including …

Data Governance In Local Government: Evidence From Spatial Data Initiatives, Maame Efua Q. Arthur

Capstone Projects – Politics and Government

The adoption of modern digital applications and tools enables community development organizations to improve public services and community well-being. In response to the data surge, several local governments in the U.S. are converting spatial data into user-friendly geospatial products, including maps, dashboards, web, and instant apps. Research suggests that while these tools enhance operations for municipalities, they also increase public accountability and data transparency. However, developing data-driven tools is dependent on structured data governance practices that ensure data accessibility, accuracy, reliability, and security. Using the City of Bloomington, Illinois, as a case study, this study assesses the city's data-driven initiatives, …

Higher Education Administrators’ Perceptions Of The Influence On The Social Construction Of Disability And Institutional Antidiscrimination Policies, Pamela A. Kasyan-Howe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence Empowers Particle Physics And Nuclear Physics: From Fundamental Research To Major Applications, Yifang Wang, Yuan He, Yao Huang, Wanbing He, Yi Jiao, Congqiao Li, Ke Li, Beijiang Liu, Yingqi Ma, Yugang Ma, Longgang Pang, Fazhi Qi, Sichao Tan, Chunpeng Wang, Meng Wang, Xiaoheng Xu, Xing Xu, Zhentang Zhao, Yingxun Zhang, Zhengde Zhang, Hongwei Zhao, Lina Zhao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Particle physics and nuclear physics are core foundational disciplines for exploring the fundamental structure of matter and the origin of the universe. The deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is providing entirely new pathways to address systemic challenges such as the processing of massive amounts of multimodal data, the realization of extreme experimental conditions, bottlenecks in theoretical calculations, and the intelligent control of large-scale scientific facilities. The article systematically elaborates on how AI deeply empowers particle physics and nuclear physics, particularly in major application scenarios such as research on the fundamental structure and origin of mass of matter, the …

Consolidating Chemical Substance Creation Capability Through Ai For Science-Enabled Innovation Equity, Mengchu Jin, Wandong Wang, Jun Zhang, Yi Luo, Zaiku Xie, Jinlong Yang, Jun Jiang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

AI for Science (hereinafter referred to as AI4S) is driving profound changes in the paradigm of scientific research. Chemistry, as a central discipline for creating new substances and supporting major national strategic needs such as energy, health, dual carbon goals, advanced manufacturing, and ecological governance, is an important application scenario of AI4S. At present, innovation in the discipline of chemistry by young researchers still faces knowledge silos, capability silos, and resource silos: the accumulation of professional knowledge requires years of effort, frontier knowledge is highly differentiated, experimental capabilities are difficult to reuse, and high-end resources are difficult to coordinate, which …

Artificial Intelligence Empowered Biological Research: Paradigm Shifts, Application Scenarios, And Strategic Layout, Xinguang Zhu, Yiming Bao, Zhenong Jin, Xin Li, Sijia Wang, Yueming Wang, Yungui Yang, Cao Xu, Yan Xiong, Bin Han

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Life related processes are characterized by high dimensionality and multi-scale properties. Understanding mechanisms underpinning life processes helps promote national healthcare, agricultural development, sustainable ecological civilization, and national security. Current life science research is confronted with an enormous challenge of dimensionality stemming from data explosion and data fragmentation, for which the recent rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) provides novel solutions. AI will catalyze a paradigm shift in life science research from the current experiment based empirical induction to a new closed-loop knowledge acquisition including large scale data collection, model building, model prediction, experimental validation, and iterative of these procedures. Life …

Artificial Intelligence–Driven Paradigm Transformation In Biopharmaceutical R&D: Applications And Emerging Scenarios, Lili Liu, Mingyue Zheng, Ye Yuan, Xutong Li, Rong Fan, Wei Wei, Jinxin Zhao, Guobin Qi, Hua Yue, Likun Gong, Songping Zhang, Jiachen Li, Yuchen Sun, Xiaoyan Chen, Yao Chen, Xin Liu, Xiao Zhang, Yuehong Gao, Jianfeng Li, Kaixian Chen, Guanghui Ma, Jianmin Yue

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The biopharmaceutical industry is a critical domain underpinning national scientific and technological innovation development and public health. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and its deep integration with the life sciences, biomedicine research is undergoing a paradigm shift from traditional experience-driven trial-and-error approaches to data-driven and predictive validation-based models. This study systematically examines the pathways for reshaping research in biomedicine paradigms under the convergence of data-driven, mechanism-driven, and intelligence-driven approaches. It focuses on recent advances in the application of AI across key stages, including drug discovery and design, druggability evaluation, delivery system design and optimization, nonclinical and clinical …

Artificial Intelligence Empowering Space Science—Case Study Of Space Weather, Chi Wang, Hui Li, Bingxian Luo, Fang Shen, Jingjing Wang, Lingqian Zhang, Yi Yang, Dong Zhao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Space science is currently confronted with a triple challenge: the explosive growth of observational data, the strongly coupled cross-scale nature of physical processes, and the increasingly urgent national strategic demands. The limitations of traditional research paradigms in analytical efficiency, forecast accuracy, and autonomous capability hinder their effectiveness in meeting critical requirements such as safeguarding on-orbit satellites and ensuring the successful execution of major space missions. This study proposes a three-layer “perception–cognition–decision-making” architecture for intelligent space science. Taking space weather—a domain with strong operational relevance—as a representative case, the four-dimensional paradigm transformation driven by artificial intelligence is systematically examined across key …

Ucedd Innovations Lead To Idd Networks’ Driving Change: Envision, Empower, Employ, Suzzanne Freeze, Jean Winsor, Brittany M. Powers, Amy Huppi

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

State systems responsible for administering employment services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) must acclimate to changing demands, address new regulations, and continue to meet needs in an era of high workforce turnover and uncertain funding. While improvements have been made across the U.S., there are still far too many individuals seeking meaningful employment and contributory roles in the community who are not supported to achieve those goals. A key success factor is providing publicly funded state systems with the information needed to strategically pivot toward priorities and ensure smooth transitions of organizational change. Our country’s …

Factors Influencing Tourist Interest In Walking Tours In The Kota Tua Area, Novi Handayani, Adrian Hartanto

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

This study aims to analyze the extent to which the variables of Attraction, Accessibility, Cost and Tarif, Facilities, and Information contribute to Walking tour Interest, both individually (partially) and collectively (simultaneously).  As previous research states that Indonesia has one of the lowest levels of mobility. The average Indonesian walks only 3513 steps per day, while the recommended daily step count for maintaining good health is 5000. This study uses Multiple Linear Regression Analysis as its analysis method using partial hypothesis testing (t-test) and simultaneous hypothesis testing (f-test).. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via Google Form to …

Reading Between The Lines: An Exploration Of Censorship In United States Public School Libraries, Sally Anne Perz

ETDs from 2020-2029

Between 2021 and 2025, PEN America documented over 22,000 book bans across the United States (US). Yet, with only 451 districts banning out of over 13,000, 97% of US school districts are not engaging in banning. The 451 banning districts represent only 3% of US school districts. While most research examines individual stakeholders, such as librarians and teachers, this study focused on district and community data which do not change as fast as microsystem variables. Since banning occurs at the district level, understanding school district demographics and values may help situate the sociopolitical context of school board decisions to ban …

Intersectionality In Juvenile Diversion Post-2018 Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Act Reauthorization, Bobby Powell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Needs Assessment For Sexual Violence Education In An Afterschool Program In Liberia, Mabel Howe Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Identifying Existing Barriers To Equitable Transportation In Birmingham, Alabama, Brandy Rose Mckinney

ETDs from 2020-2029

A transportation system is designed to connect people to essential community resources and support their mobility needs. However, transportation facilities and services in lower-income communities often fail to meet local demands, restricting access to jobs, healthcare, recreation, and other critical services. These gaps disproportionately impact lower-income and vulnerable populations, reducing mobility and overall quality of life. This study aims to (a) define transportation inequity and the measures used to assess it; (b) summarize existing inequities across the United States; (c) examine travel choices, needs, and barriers in lower-income communities in Birmingham, Alabama; and (d) propose strategies to address transportation inequity …

Independent Living Skills For The Aging Population Of Adults With Disabilities, Sara K. Fetter Otd, Otr, Jennifer L. Martin Otd, Otr, Cht, Clt, Michele L. Mccarroll Phd, Faacvpr, Acsm-Ccep, Ccrp, Lssbb

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Adults with intellectual disability (ID) are living longer and increasingly outlive family caregivers. Strengthening independent living and vocational skills has therefore become a critical public-health priority. Occupational therapy (OT) can address this need through person-centered, community-based programming. This paper describes the co-design, delivery, and preliminary outcomes of a short occupation-based curriculum intended to enhance autonomy and work readiness in aging adults with ID. In partnership with a Dallas, Texas nonprofit, the authors conducted a needs assessment and created an 8-session course rooted in the Independent Living Model and the Occupational Competence Model. The curriculum addressed four domains (physical health, financial …

Breaking Bread And Barriers: Interprofessional Strategies To Improve Mental And Nutritional Health In Family Caregivers, Candy Ratliff

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

Family caregivers provide essential unpaid support to individuals with chronic illness, disability, dementia, and age-related decline; however, caregiving responsibilities often place caregivers at increased risk for psychological, physical, nutritional, and social challenges. This literature review examines the mental health and nutritional implications of family caregiving and explores barriers that contribute to declining caregiver wellness. Findings reveal elevated rates of depression, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, social isolation, food insecurity, sleep disturbances, financial strain, and chronic stress among caregivers. The literature further highlights the interconnected relationship between mental health, nutrition, and overall quality of life. Given the multidimensional nature of caregiver burden, interprofessional …

The Impact Of Workplace Wellness Programs On Workers’ Compensation Claims And Absenteeism: A Quantitative Study In Public Administration, Stephen Michael Douglas Coy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Employee absenteeism is detrimental to organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Workers’ compensation claims are a potential liability to government organizations, as claims filed by employees for work-related injuries or illnesses may impact insurance premiums based on the number and severity of claims filed. Identifying and implementing solutions to mitigate the effects of absenteeism and workers’ compensation claims are critical to organizational sustainability. This quantitative study seeks to determine if workplace health and wellness programs decrease absenteeism and reduce workers’ compensation claims levels among public sector employees. Post-positivism and functionalism provide this study with a theoretical underpinning. The variables of interest were …

Fentanyl At The Border: A Critical Analysis Of U.S. Customs And Border Protection Strategies Against Synthetic Opioid Smuggling, Patricia Salinas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation will investigate the efficacy of tactics employed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in detecting and intercepting fentanyl at legal ports of entry along the U.S border during the fiscal years 2022 to 2025. Given that fentanyl continues to be a pivotal element in the ongoing opioid crisis within the United States, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms by which this synthetic opioid is smuggled into the country and to evaluate the efficacy of federal initiatives. These efforts are crucial for protecting public health and enhancing national security. This quantitative study examines fentanyl seizure data from …

State Government, The Forgotten Cyber Actor, Joshua D. Strubel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cyber incidents are among the most pervasive threats facing the United States, with the FBI recording over 859,000 reported attacks and an estimated $16.6 billion in losses in 2024 alone. Despite widespread recognition that effective cyber defense requires a whole-nation approach, the existing research literature overwhelmingly focuses on federal policy, leaving state governments as largely overlooked actors. This study addresses that gap by examining the research question: How does state cybersecurity policy affect malicious cyber actors' frequency of operations? Drawing on multilinear regression analysis augmented by Random Forest machine learning models, this study evaluates the relationship between state-level cyber deterrence …

Exploring Workplace Wellness Programs From A Correctional Officer’S Perspective, Lolita Jeaneen Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Parental Gender Bias In Youth Employment Standards: Evidence From Upper Egypt, Mahmoud Saeed

Theses and Dissertations

Youth unemployment remains a critical challenge in Egypt, with female labor force participation among the lowest globally. While structural factors such as limited job creation and public sector contraction are well-documented, the role of family-level decision-making in constraining women's labor market entry has received limited quantitative attention. This thesis examines parental gender bias in employment standards in Upper Egypt, investigating whether and how parents impose systematically different job requirements for daughters compared to sons. Using primary survey data from 17,284 unemployed youth aged 18-35 across six governorates, paired with responses from their parents, this study analyzes parental preferences across six …

(Re)Claiming Homeplace: Dance As Embodied Resistance & Healing For Health & Spatial Justice, Preeya G. Kannan

University Honors Theses

This thesis argues that dance functions as both an upstream public health intervention and a form of radical spatial resistance; creating healing, agency, and belonging among historically marginalized communities. Drawing on bell hooks' concept of homeplace, Jasbir Puar's assemblage theory, Nancy Krieger's eco-social theory, and Katherine McKittrick's Black geographies, I position the body as both an ecological and political landscape shaped by histories of colonialism, racial capitalism, displacement, and resilience.

Through this community-based participatory research study, Homeplace, I explore dance as a form of social prescription that centers liberation rather than pathology. Movement is often reduced in public health discourse …

The Human Side Of Humanitarian Work: Well-Being And Performance Among Aid Workers In Egypt, Mai Osama Kenawy

Theses and Dissertations

Well-being and productivity are widely recognized as central to the work performance of humanitarian aid workers. Despite increasing attention to staff well-being, performance within the humanitarian sector in Egypt remains stagnant or, in some cases, declining. This study examines why expanded well-being initiatives have not yielded sustained performance improvements by examining how actors' external roles, organizational factors, and individual factors affect humanitarian workers’ well-being and work performance. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining ten in-depth interviews with humanitarian workers from international organizations, INGOs, and local NGOs, as well as a survey of eighty workers operating in the same context. The …